posted at 9:24 pm on February 28, 2011 by Allahpundit

Americans oppose weakening the bargaining rights of public employee unions by a margin of nearly two to one: 60 percent to 33 percent. While a slim majority of Republicans favored taking away some bargaining rights, they were outnumbered by large majorities of Democrats and independents who said they opposed weakening them. Those surveyed said they opposed, 56 percent to 37 percent, cutting the pay or benefits of public employees to reduce deficits, breaking down along similar party lines. A majority of respondents who have no union members living in their households opposed both cuts in pay or benefits and taking away the collective bargaining rights of public employees.

Governors in both parties have been making the case that public workers are either overpaid or have overly generous health and pension benefits. But 61 percent of those polled — including just over half of Republicans — said they thought the salaries and benefits of most public employees were either “about right” or “too low” for the work they do.

Fully 62 percent of independents (and 70 percent of Democrats) oppose weakening collective bargaining. As usual, the question provides no background on PEUs and why they present a unique problem for state budgets, especially when there’s a Democrat in the governor’s office:

On the other hand, the question about cutting public workers’ pay does explicitly mention state budget deficits — and there’s still heavy majority support for workers:

A near majority (49 percent) also supports letting cops and firefighters retire after 25 years with full pensions even if they’re in their 40s — which, in some cases for people of average lifespans, would mean more pay during retirement than while they were on the job. CBS, which co-sponsored the poll, asked Chris Christie for reaction. Quote:

Christie, who has been critical of teachers’ unions in his state, said the collective bargaining story was “entertaining,” though he said it wasn’t an issue in his state or most states. He then told a CBS News reporter that he was “sure you worded the poll in a way that kept [the story] going.”

“I’m the governor, I think I’ve got a better idea on public opinion in my state than CBS News does to tell you the truth,” he said. “If not, Katie Couric should run for governor of New Jersey.”

That’s cute, and I’m sure some will quibble with the sample (36D/26R/36I and 19L/37M/36C), but even if you tweaked it to add a few more Republicans, these numbers wouldn’t shift dramatically. And why should they? Remember this graph from Pew’s poll on America’s budget crunch a few weeks ago?

Up and down the line, not a single item draws a clear majority in favor of cuts. And what about this one?

Even tea partiers go wobbly when it comes to cutting spending on education and Social Security. For whatever reason — misinformation or simple denial — the public isn’t remotely serious yet when it comes to making painful choices on spending. When asked if budget cuts are a good thing in the abstract, they’re plenty supportive, but start identifying specific programs and industries that’ll have to make do with less and those cold feet start turning icy. If you can’t even get 50 percent to say they’re prepared to cut foreign aid, how on earth will you get 50 percent to support cuts to the “working man” in the form of public employees?

I don’t know what it’ll take to build popular support for greater austerity. Maybe nothing. Maybe we’re going to have to elect a bunch of Republicans who are fully prepared to sacrifice their careers by taking tough but necessary votes on the budget. Here’s Christie from yesterday’s “Face the Nation” gently reminding viewers that collective bargaining rights aren’t inscribed on the Mt. Sinai tablets.

Comments

The unions are cleverly framing the debate of Public Sector Union abuses vrs Private Sector Unions. They want to ask the question, “Do you believe that all Unions should be allowed to collectively bargain?” rather than, “Should the Public Sector Unions be restricted in collective bargaining?”

By putting both Public and Private Unions under the same blanket, you can easily get people to respond ‘yes’ to the question – “Do you believe in collective bargaining?”

Those, like the Governor of Wisconsin, who are trying to restrict the economic power of the Public Unions should carefully make the distinction that they are not trying to limit Private Unions.

I not only don’t believe the poll results, I question both the timing and the intent. C-BS stopped being relevant on my news radar a long time ago.

Even *if* true, that doesn’t change the current political/financial targets on the Tea Party Conservative X and Y wing fighters. One way or another, we have to take out that Obama/Reid/Pelolsi/Ruling Class/Establishment Republican Death Star before its too late.

As I’ve pointed out elsewhere, the problem with these polls is that most people don’t know what a “public union” is unless you explain it to them. (I would guess a fair number even confuse it with “civil unions.”)

When you do explain what a public union is, then you find support falls to around 30%.

These polls have become ridiculous both for content and bias. The bottom line is JFK let public employees unionize in 1962 and this is the result. Obama is a union President bought and paid for by the unions. Why doen`t he get his left wing ass in gear and let the Federal Govt emplyees organize. The answer is it that it would be a disaster just like the state, cities and municipalities and he knows it so he should just mind his damn business and let each state run their own finances or else put his actions where his mele mouth is

I bet the numbers would look different if you ask the same people do they want their state/local and property taxes to increase because of the collective bargaining deals.

I really wish these governors would tell the people if they don’t get rid of collective bargaining, then they’ll be increasing their taxes by X amount. Also, break it down to what each household would be paying. People never seem to understand the math until you make it personal.

Do people just not understand that government unions are an anti-trust violation? They have no competition to wory about – they are a MONOPOLY…. as an added bonus, they get better benefits and salaries than the taxpayers who foot the bill. How cool is that!

I haven’t forgotten how See-BS and other DNC shills manipulated and fabricated polls to suggest that Clintoon’s (having been caught boinking the hired help) popularity actually was increasing and hinting that if he’d groped more of them his poll numbers would go even higher. All part of a misinformation effort which included moveon-org funded by you-know-who.

Just think of See-BS as being the DNC’s equivalent of that entire brothel Teddy rented.

— misinformation or simple denial — the public isn’t remotely serious yet when it comes to making painful choices on spending

exactly, this is america, we are not a serious people

I don’t know what it’ll take to build popular support for greater austerity

You dont build support for it, eventually our creditors stop lending and we go cold turkey like greece. Austerity for the US will come from foreign creditors who are serious. Not from our idiotic political class and polity

I don’t know what it’ll take to build popular support for greater austerity. Maybe nothing. Maybe we’re going to have to elect a bunch of Republicans who are fully prepared to sacrifice their careers by taking tough but necessary votes on the budget

This might be true. The Democrats were willing to do it over Obamacare weren’t they?

Maybe it’s time someone defines (for the public’s benefit) “collective bargaining rights”. I’m not so sure what it is. I think most of the public believes that stripping unions of collective bargaining rights means the the government can dictate whatever salary or contract they see fit.

I recall from my political science class that some polls can be skewed because a certain group will participate en masse to make a point. I have hard time believing that 60% of the nation would stand by the unions after last year’s election.

Every line of public expenditure has its own constituency, and Democrats are committed to the “coalition” concept – “I’ll protect your revenue stream, and you protect mine.”

At some point the adults have to take over. If not now, then when? If not us, then whom?

In my lifetime we’ve had Presidents of two extremes on public opinion: Bill Clinton, who even poll-tested his potential vacation sites, and Ronald Reagan, who did what he thought was right and good for the country, the polls be damned.

So, if you’re not in a union; but you’re working in a union shop, or at a job that union people do; they union should be able to take some of your wages for “representation” that they then donate to Dem Politicians without any consent from you?

This is part of the “collective bargaining” that is so necessary to keep?

I wonder if 60% of people would let me garnish their wages by a little bit for spending that I want to do without their input…

I mean they’d hate to lose rights wouldn’t they? So if having someone take your wages from you for reasons you don’t approve of is a “right” … I’m willing to do my part and spend your money without your input.